The cheesemaking process
Ever wonder how cheese goes from creamy, white milk to our delicious, hand-made cheese? Follow the slideshow to the right, provided courtesy of Dairy Plant manager Jonathan Hnosko.
If you'd like to view a cheese make in person, come on down and see us. Tour our facility, where you will:
- Learn how cheese is made
- Discover what makes your favorite ice cream flavors so tasty
- Learn the ins and outs of our on-site dairy plant
- See us hand-make our dairy products
Tours are given Monday-Friday, subject to availability. Be sure to check our FAQ page for detailed instructions.
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At around 5 a.m. on cheesemaking days, milk is pasteurized and poured into the cheese vat. This process takes about 2 1/2 hours.
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Culture bacteria is added to develop flavor and prepare the milk for an enzyme called rennet.
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Rennet is added to coagulate the milk, turning its consistency to a gel form.
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Students check the set to ensure it is just the right firmness for cutting.
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A Dairy Store student worker cuts down the long side of the vat with three different knives.
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The cutting process is performed entirely by hand thanks to the help of Dairy Store student workers.
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Cross-cutting forms the curd that will become cheese.
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After a brief rest period, the curd and whey mixture are stirred and cooked for about 45 minutes to further firm up the curd.
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The liquid is drained from the vat to separate the whey from the cheese curd.
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Individual curds are allowed to mat together into piles before they are scooped to either side of the vat.
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The piles are cut into large loaves and the acidity of the curd is monitored.
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The loaves are cut again when the acidity is just right to prepare them for the milling process.
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The milling process grinds the loaves back into smaller pieces.
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The milled curd is ready to be salted.
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Student workers weigh out salt by hand and mix the curd while salting it in intervals.
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The curd is scooped into boxes lined with cheesecloth.
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Each box must be weighed just right. One batch will yield about 800 pounds of cheese.
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The boxes are pressed overnight on a machine that is hand-tightened. From adding the milk to this step takes eight to nine hours depending on the cheese style.
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The next morning, student workers unpack the cheese blocks and seal them in plastic bags.
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The cheese blocks are weighed and tagged with their dates and style.
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The blocks then travel to the cheese cooler, where they will be aged to perfection.
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Kathy shows off one of our prized cheeseboxes.
